Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days Preview

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One last look at cinematic crime thriller before its release next month.

By Arthur Gies

After just a few minutes with the final preview build of Kane & Lynch 2, it's clear that the presentation of the game isn't just limited to the idea of online video. From the first cutscene (which I can't talk about, upon pain of death), the influence of modern cinematography is clear. While Michael Mann's presence is felt in the subject matter and a video style reminiscent of the outdoor camera work in his films Collateral and Miami Vice, there's also elements of Paul Greengrass's direction (and Oliver Wood's cinematography) in The Bourne Ultimatum, and Doug Liman's work in the original Bourne Identity. There's a seriousness at work that's bolstered by intimate camera angles and realistic presentation that sets Dog Days apart from Dead Men.

Our final preview look at Dog Days before its release in a few weeks consisted mainly of firefights and dialogue, and I've come away with a few things in mind prior to my final verdict on the game.

First, as I mentioned before, the new visual style and presentation quirks are really selling the narrative and subject matter much more successfully than pretty much any game dealing with this subject matter has. By comparison, GTA's crime infused stories look like kids' stuff. The language and delivery and camerawork are disturbing, violent, gray stuff, but they're presented with conviction and confidence, and 3 full chapters in, Dog Days is pretty engrossing.

Second, the story and gameplay are coming together much more fluidly than they ever did in Dead Men, and the pacing feels much better so far. This could change of course; it's still early in the game. But it's got me hopeful - by the time the build was over, I wasn't ready for it to be. That's a good sign, right?

Finally, my major concern for Dog Days right now is a question of difficulty. Not only is the AI extremely aggressive, most weapons in Kane & Lynch 2 are inaccurate and difficult to score effective shots with, meaning enemies don't go down easy. Put simply, I died, often and frequently without much warning.

Again, these aren't final thoughts. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days releases in a few weeks. However, Dog Days seems to be doing enough right to surpass IO's previous effort and then some. We'll just have to wait and see by how much.